Synthesis of Fe3O4/SiO2/PEG Nanocomposite from Minerals Sands: Kinetic Adsorption Heavy Metal Ion from Aqueous Solution.

Today, providing clean water is a significant need and challenge. Among the hazardous contaminants in raw water is the presence of heavy metals such as Pb(II) and Cu(II)). The Fe₃O₄/SiO₂/PEG composite material was prepared by wet mixing; in this case, the Fe₃O₄ and SiO₂ magnetic particles were prepared from iron sand and silica sand by the co-precipitation method, respectively. Polyethylene Glycol (PEG- 4000) acts as a binder and a matrix. The structural, surface, and magnetic characteristics of the nanosized adsorbent were investigated by elemental analysis, FTIR, N₂ adsorption--desorption, transmission electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, vibrating sample magnetometry, and zeta-potential measurement. The Fe₃O₄/SiO₂/PEG composite exhibited high adsorption affinity for aqueous Cu(II), and Pb(II) ions. According to isothermal and kinetic analyses, adsorption follows the Langmuir isotherm model and the pseudo second order kinetic model based on the Langmuir isotherm model, the maximum adsorption capacities of Pb(II) and Cu(II) were 76.3 mg/g and 45 mg/g for the Fe₃O₄/SiO₂/PEG composite with a mass ratio of Fe₃O₄/SiO₂ of 1:1, respectively. The Fe₃O₄/SiO₂/PEG (1:1) showed high adsorption capacity after three regeneration cycles (79%), which can be a potential magnetic adsorbent for wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]